The present invention relates generally to industrial overline systems and methods, such as baking, cooking and routing systems, and more particularly, to augmented reality vision-based industrial overline systems and methods for monitoring and controlling baking, cooking and routing processes.
Conventional baking, cooking and routing processes, and the like, have the goal of providing efficient throughput of product conveyed along a conveyor belt. For example, buns produced for fast food providers have different specifications, and it is desirable to have automated high-volume baking systems that can detect out-of-spec product and remove defective buns from the conveyor belt. Similarly, cooked poultry transferred out of an oven is randomly located and oriented on the conveyor belt and it is desirable to detect product that is over-cooked or under-cooked. The defective buns or poultry is typically detected by an operator (inspector) and removed from the conveyor belt.
In the case of routing processes, labels may be used for routing within a distribution center. Such labels are applied to packages when they arrive at the distribution center, and are used to route the packages to appropriate delivery trucks. This process involves printing and applying thousands of labels, and a solution is desired to automate aspects of the internal routing process to reduce the number of labels that are necessary.
It would be desirable to have augmented reality vision-based systems and methods that monitor and control baking, cooking and routing processes, and the like. It would be desirable to have an augmented reality monitoring system that includes a projection display system or a laser projection system that is networked with an infrared or visible imaging system that improves the ability to monitor and control baking, cooking and routing processes, and the like. It would also be desirable to have an augmented reality monitoring system comprising a barcode reader, a projection display system or a laser projection system, and an infrared or visible imaging system that are networked together and which improves the ability to monitor and control baking, cooking and routing processes, and the like.